Liz Phillips began running Kitty and Jean through some Tai Chi katas for
beginners--having them attempt to mirror her moves... and occasionally, she
would throw in something a little different to test their reflexes and
perceptiveness....
The katas were designed to help a person relax and feel refreshed, even if they were tired.... and after about an hour, the Otherworlder finally let them stop.
She was sure Kitty would sleep quite well, and that Jean would find her mind more clearly focused and shielded from the simple activity alone...
[I think ye two are going to make excellent students... Especially ye, Katherine...] she observed with a smile, [Jean, I will work with ye, and yer sister--once she arrives. Ye two will do well together!]
[Yeah could be an idea. She should be here in a few days, said she had some things to take care of before she got here.]
Kitty blushed at the compliment, and the slight smile on the Englishwoman's pale face, "Um... thanks.... I'm looking forward to it... I've been up since early... I think I'm going to fade away now... You want to see me in the morning for Tai Chi?"
[Yes, as a matter of fact I do... We'll start at dawn or 6 am, which ever comes earlier.. Please set your clock accordingly, Katherine,] Liz advised the teenager before turning back to Jean, [I expect to see ye there, too.]
[Of course, I'll be up nice and early. I have a meeting at 9AM so a kick start may be a good idea.]
And with that, Kitty phased through the doors and headed upstairs, on her way back to Brea Hall and the dorms.....
Jean watched the teenager leave. Kitty had been at the school since it's opening and was one of Jack's brightest students. He asked her to take any classes he was to "Busy" for. [So how do you think Jack and Bea are going?] Liz smiled, [They're getting along fine... even holding hands! The only time ye see her holding a lad's hand is if she's about to throw him through a window... but she's grinning like a bloody fool! First time fer everything, eh?] [Yeah i guess.] Jean nodded in the general Direction of Jack... ['Bout time too in his case.] [So, what classes do ye teach?] she asked the human psychic, [I imagine we'll both be teaching Psionics 101 and such...]
[Psionics 101. Yeah I teach that and a few "Standard" classes. Math and Drama. We not only teach the students to use their powers, but we're also a normal School, with exams and things like that. We were thinking about opening the school to normal humans but I'm not sure we're ready for that yet. The world around this is a dangerous place for mutants, letting the outside world we have mutants here may be very bad.]
Liz lead Jean through another exercise, yoga this time, as she watched the younger woman's mindset...
Jean followed alone as best she could. She wasn't as flexible as the older women seemed to be. Being in S.H.I.E.L.D had that effect Jean thought to herself. Sweat was starting to run down her brow, she mentally kicked herself for wearing a business suit while working as hard as she was. After about twenty minutes she pulled herself to a standing position and turned to Liz.
[I'm a little over dressed for any more. How about we restart tomorrow morning and finish up the tour?]
[Sounds good,] Liz replied with a grin, [I think ye've still got untapped potential, Grey. Ye ever watch Crouching Tiger or Iron Monkey? Ye could learn to do those manner of moves, and I can teach ye!]
[I don't watch a lot of films like that. Sorry to say i prefer the "girly" stuff more then people kicking and/or blowing thing up. I like to curl up with some popcorn and drift away.] [Crouching Tiger is a love story, Jean,] Liz replied, [and a real tear jerker... Bea was bawling when it was over, and she's not exactly a "soft" gal...]
[So, where to now?] Liz asked as she stretched gracefully, popping her back in as many places as a cat.
[Well I'll show you the Mansion.] Again Jean Mentally mapped the mansion, Pointing out class rooms, study areas and the like, then popped up a floor, showing living quarters. [Pick a place, any place.] Jean said smiling.
[Well, let's start with the library and classrooms,] the Otherworlder suggested after a moment of scanning for Jack, and finding him and her sister in the kitchen.
Jean lead Liz back to the main Lift and Ground floor button. A minute later they stood in the library. Row upon Row of Books lined the walls all the way up to the high ceiling. In the center of the room sat six computer terminals. [So this is s where most of the classes are held? ] the Otherworlder asked, [Or do ye have some other classroom facilities?]
[We have a few Classrooms on the other side of the house, 6 main rooms. but mot of the teaching goes on here.] She points to a bordered off area of the library. [That's the teaching area, on this side is the reading area. Those computers are not only linked to the main school network and Library records but also the internet... Thanks to Jack and Forge we have all "Adult" sites blocked.]
[What is yer total enrollment here? And what is the usual student-teacher ratio?] she continued, looking around the collection of the library. [We have 10 Teachers, plus 10 to cover if we have Field agents out and can't teach. Student numbers are close to 80. All housed in the Hitomy Brea building. We take in runaways and the like so the numbers are always changing]
[And when does Xavier return?] she added.
[i don't know. But it seems he's done to see Tony Stark, so it should be later today. Those two have been meeting a lot over the last few weeks. Tony sends all sorts of gizmos over to us, i guess that's what Charles is talking to him about.] [Excellent,] she replied, a curious expression on her face, [Who else be on the faculty here? And yer listed as one of two co-headmasters. who be the other one?]
[That would be Emma Frost. She joined as Co-Head last year and frankly I'm glad of her help.]
[Baroness Frost, eh?] Liz replied, quirking a brow upward, [President and CEO of Frost Enterprises, one of the richest women in the world. How the bloody hell did ye lot manage t'get *her* involved in this?]
[Charles spoke to her, asked for her help... She gave it. That's about all i know, I never thought about it that much. She helps out, even teaches a little. She can get a little quiet time to work on her companies from here to.] [That be true...] Liz replied, [Is she metahuman? I've met her, and had a great deal of difficulty getting a bead on her... Ye know how some folk have perfected a good "poker face"? I think she's perfected a "poker mind", because she's very controlled..] [Emma's a mutant, a telepath like you and i to be exact. She enjoys the insight into the human mind she gets from telepathy, but never goes too far, if you now what i mean. As far as i know she controls her business normally without taking a "peek" inside her competitors heads. She also enjoys taking an active role in the education of these young minds.] She motioned towards the students. Most were normal looking enough but a few had mutations so serve that passing as human would be hard, for them the School was a heaven from the outside world, a world that would hang them just because they'd been born. Some of the students, male and female alike, were staring at Liz, with her 6 fingered hands, her pointed ears and exotic violet-black hair and lilac eyes. That wasn't what kept several of them entranced though.
They had never seen anyone quite like her--and the photos from magazines didn't seem to do her justice. But little did they know that the subtle use of an image inducer made her appear a little more human-- changing the subtle bluish cast of her skin to a more "normal" Caucasian tone, and changed pointed ears to rounded, and made her hands appear human as well.
She didn't seem to notice the attention and admiration from the students, she might be extraordinarily beautiful to humans, but she paid that beauty little mind.
She wandered through the library with Jean, listening to the thoughts and conversations around her, and conversing with the other teacher.
[So how did you first meet Emma?] Jean asked
[I met her at the Hellfire Club's masquerade ball a few years back...] Liz replied, [..in honor of Baroness Braddock--her mentor's--being admitted to the Order of the Bath for her philanthropy and other excellent works...]
[Emma? at a Ball? I never thought of her as the type. Still i guess you never really know a person, even when you're a telepath. I remember the last HFC Ball i went to years ago, Warren and i had fun, some old guy named Wynguard spent all night chatting me up, but other wise.]
She laughed at the memory, It was one of the first Balls she and Warren had been too after their wedding.
Liz smiled seeing the memories flash through Jean's head, [Blond, eh? So, tell me about yer sister? Madelyne, eh? She wasn't a model was she?]
[No, Maddie wasn't a model per-say But she had a few shoots before joining the military. When my Powers manifested, she covered for me for almost 6 months before anyone knew what was going on, after that she did a bit of modeling but not a lot.]
[I recollect Xavier mentioning that she was a test pilot these days...] Liz commented
[Yeah like i said she joined the Military, gained her pilot's papers and joined the Test Corps. After her marriage to Scott went south she spent less and less Time here and more in the cockpit.]
[Ye mean she's married to that insufferable toe rag in the garage?] Liz asked, [His mindset is most--unpleasant.] :Humph: she snorted aloud, shaking her dark head, [T'is no wonder she left him... And better fer her as well, I do believe, and I look forward to meeting her... In fact... ]
There was a creaking as the main front door of the mansion, and a familiar presence reached out to Jean, [Sis! I'm home... ]
[Speak of the Devil and she herself turns up, Welcome back Maddie, It's good to have you back.]
Maddie dropped her bags in the foyer for the robo-butler to collect and return to her former room. She then dodged kids and household 'bots as she made her way to the library. She felt another, powerful mental presence that was unfamiliar to her, but thus far, unreadable...
The identity of the newcomer was revealed when she joined them in an alcove off the library. The Grey twins were reunited after a year of separation, due to the classified nature of Maddie's assignment to Area 51.
[Gawd, sis.] she 'pathed, [I've missed you! But I wouldn't trade my kinda flying for yours at all!]
[How do you mean?]
[Your TK flight vs. my F-14... my F-111A,] Maddie joked, [I'll take that marvel of engineering any day! I'll have to take ya on a ride one of these days!]
[I think i'll pass, The blackbird is enough for me, and if Forge finishes plans for these "X Wings" of his, Then I then maybe i'll race you.] Jean said with a smile
[So, where'd ya find another psi on par with you and Emma?] Maddie asked quickly, [And aren't you going in to introduce me, or are ya too embarrassed of your tom-boy twin?]
[Of course I'm no embarrassed, but you will be in a minute.] Jean replied Liz quirked an eyebrow at the psychic pilot, [Ye ever hear of 'shielding' yer conversation, luv? I be Liz Phillips...]
Jean smiled an pointed a finger at Maddie. [Told you so!]
Maddie brushed her dark auburn hair out of her eyes and flushed a bit, looking down at her fatigues with captain's bars, [I'm Maddie Grey.... Nice to meetcha!]
[Now that you've all met, Lets talk. If you'll just open you minds i'll open my telepathic office and explain everything.] A floating head beside the three ladies said, It was the face of Charles Xavier.
The katas were designed to help a person relax and feel refreshed, even if they were tired.... and after about an hour, the Otherworlder finally let them stop.
She was sure Kitty would sleep quite well, and that Jean would find her mind more clearly focused and shielded from the simple activity alone...
[I think ye two are going to make excellent students... Especially ye, Katherine...] she observed with a smile, [Jean, I will work with ye, and yer sister--once she arrives. Ye two will do well together!]
[Yeah could be an idea. She should be here in a few days, said she had some things to take care of before she got here.]
Kitty blushed at the compliment, and the slight smile on the Englishwoman's pale face, "Um... thanks.... I'm looking forward to it... I've been up since early... I think I'm going to fade away now... You want to see me in the morning for Tai Chi?"
[Yes, as a matter of fact I do... We'll start at dawn or 6 am, which ever comes earlier.. Please set your clock accordingly, Katherine,] Liz advised the teenager before turning back to Jean, [I expect to see ye there, too.]
[Of course, I'll be up nice and early. I have a meeting at 9AM so a kick start may be a good idea.]
And with that, Kitty phased through the doors and headed upstairs, on her way back to Brea Hall and the dorms.....
Jean watched the teenager leave. Kitty had been at the school since it's opening and was one of Jack's brightest students. He asked her to take any classes he was to "Busy" for. [So how do you think Jack and Bea are going?] Liz smiled, [They're getting along fine... even holding hands! The only time ye see her holding a lad's hand is if she's about to throw him through a window... but she's grinning like a bloody fool! First time fer everything, eh?] [Yeah i guess.] Jean nodded in the general Direction of Jack... ['Bout time too in his case.] [So, what classes do ye teach?] she asked the human psychic, [I imagine we'll both be teaching Psionics 101 and such...]
[Psionics 101. Yeah I teach that and a few "Standard" classes. Math and Drama. We not only teach the students to use their powers, but we're also a normal School, with exams and things like that. We were thinking about opening the school to normal humans but I'm not sure we're ready for that yet. The world around this is a dangerous place for mutants, letting the outside world we have mutants here may be very bad.]
Liz lead Jean through another exercise, yoga this time, as she watched the younger woman's mindset...
Jean followed alone as best she could. She wasn't as flexible as the older women seemed to be. Being in S.H.I.E.L.D had that effect Jean thought to herself. Sweat was starting to run down her brow, she mentally kicked herself for wearing a business suit while working as hard as she was. After about twenty minutes she pulled herself to a standing position and turned to Liz.
[I'm a little over dressed for any more. How about we restart tomorrow morning and finish up the tour?]
[Sounds good,] Liz replied with a grin, [I think ye've still got untapped potential, Grey. Ye ever watch Crouching Tiger or Iron Monkey? Ye could learn to do those manner of moves, and I can teach ye!]
[I don't watch a lot of films like that. Sorry to say i prefer the "girly" stuff more then people kicking and/or blowing thing up. I like to curl up with some popcorn and drift away.] [Crouching Tiger is a love story, Jean,] Liz replied, [and a real tear jerker... Bea was bawling when it was over, and she's not exactly a "soft" gal...]
[So, where to now?] Liz asked as she stretched gracefully, popping her back in as many places as a cat.
[Well I'll show you the Mansion.] Again Jean Mentally mapped the mansion, Pointing out class rooms, study areas and the like, then popped up a floor, showing living quarters. [Pick a place, any place.] Jean said smiling.
[Well, let's start with the library and classrooms,] the Otherworlder suggested after a moment of scanning for Jack, and finding him and her sister in the kitchen.
Jean lead Liz back to the main Lift and Ground floor button. A minute later they stood in the library. Row upon Row of Books lined the walls all the way up to the high ceiling. In the center of the room sat six computer terminals. [So this is s where most of the classes are held? ] the Otherworlder asked, [Or do ye have some other classroom facilities?]
[We have a few Classrooms on the other side of the house, 6 main rooms. but mot of the teaching goes on here.] She points to a bordered off area of the library. [That's the teaching area, on this side is the reading area. Those computers are not only linked to the main school network and Library records but also the internet... Thanks to Jack and Forge we have all "Adult" sites blocked.]
[What is yer total enrollment here? And what is the usual student-teacher ratio?] she continued, looking around the collection of the library. [We have 10 Teachers, plus 10 to cover if we have Field agents out and can't teach. Student numbers are close to 80. All housed in the Hitomy Brea building. We take in runaways and the like so the numbers are always changing]
[And when does Xavier return?] she added.
[i don't know. But it seems he's done to see Tony Stark, so it should be later today. Those two have been meeting a lot over the last few weeks. Tony sends all sorts of gizmos over to us, i guess that's what Charles is talking to him about.] [Excellent,] she replied, a curious expression on her face, [Who else be on the faculty here? And yer listed as one of two co-headmasters. who be the other one?]
[That would be Emma Frost. She joined as Co-Head last year and frankly I'm glad of her help.]
[Baroness Frost, eh?] Liz replied, quirking a brow upward, [President and CEO of Frost Enterprises, one of the richest women in the world. How the bloody hell did ye lot manage t'get *her* involved in this?]
[Charles spoke to her, asked for her help... She gave it. That's about all i know, I never thought about it that much. She helps out, even teaches a little. She can get a little quiet time to work on her companies from here to.] [That be true...] Liz replied, [Is she metahuman? I've met her, and had a great deal of difficulty getting a bead on her... Ye know how some folk have perfected a good "poker face"? I think she's perfected a "poker mind", because she's very controlled..] [Emma's a mutant, a telepath like you and i to be exact. She enjoys the insight into the human mind she gets from telepathy, but never goes too far, if you now what i mean. As far as i know she controls her business normally without taking a "peek" inside her competitors heads. She also enjoys taking an active role in the education of these young minds.] She motioned towards the students. Most were normal looking enough but a few had mutations so serve that passing as human would be hard, for them the School was a heaven from the outside world, a world that would hang them just because they'd been born. Some of the students, male and female alike, were staring at Liz, with her 6 fingered hands, her pointed ears and exotic violet-black hair and lilac eyes. That wasn't what kept several of them entranced though.
They had never seen anyone quite like her--and the photos from magazines didn't seem to do her justice. But little did they know that the subtle use of an image inducer made her appear a little more human-- changing the subtle bluish cast of her skin to a more "normal" Caucasian tone, and changed pointed ears to rounded, and made her hands appear human as well.
She didn't seem to notice the attention and admiration from the students, she might be extraordinarily beautiful to humans, but she paid that beauty little mind.
She wandered through the library with Jean, listening to the thoughts and conversations around her, and conversing with the other teacher.
[So how did you first meet Emma?] Jean asked
[I met her at the Hellfire Club's masquerade ball a few years back...] Liz replied, [..in honor of Baroness Braddock--her mentor's--being admitted to the Order of the Bath for her philanthropy and other excellent works...]
[Emma? at a Ball? I never thought of her as the type. Still i guess you never really know a person, even when you're a telepath. I remember the last HFC Ball i went to years ago, Warren and i had fun, some old guy named Wynguard spent all night chatting me up, but other wise.]
She laughed at the memory, It was one of the first Balls she and Warren had been too after their wedding.
Liz smiled seeing the memories flash through Jean's head, [Blond, eh? So, tell me about yer sister? Madelyne, eh? She wasn't a model was she?]
[No, Maddie wasn't a model per-say But she had a few shoots before joining the military. When my Powers manifested, she covered for me for almost 6 months before anyone knew what was going on, after that she did a bit of modeling but not a lot.]
[I recollect Xavier mentioning that she was a test pilot these days...] Liz commented
[Yeah like i said she joined the Military, gained her pilot's papers and joined the Test Corps. After her marriage to Scott went south she spent less and less Time here and more in the cockpit.]
[Ye mean she's married to that insufferable toe rag in the garage?] Liz asked, [His mindset is most--unpleasant.] :Humph: she snorted aloud, shaking her dark head, [T'is no wonder she left him... And better fer her as well, I do believe, and I look forward to meeting her... In fact... ]
There was a creaking as the main front door of the mansion, and a familiar presence reached out to Jean, [Sis! I'm home... ]
[Speak of the Devil and she herself turns up, Welcome back Maddie, It's good to have you back.]
Maddie dropped her bags in the foyer for the robo-butler to collect and return to her former room. She then dodged kids and household 'bots as she made her way to the library. She felt another, powerful mental presence that was unfamiliar to her, but thus far, unreadable...
The identity of the newcomer was revealed when she joined them in an alcove off the library. The Grey twins were reunited after a year of separation, due to the classified nature of Maddie's assignment to Area 51.
[Gawd, sis.] she 'pathed, [I've missed you! But I wouldn't trade my kinda flying for yours at all!]
[How do you mean?]
[Your TK flight vs. my F-14... my F-111A,] Maddie joked, [I'll take that marvel of engineering any day! I'll have to take ya on a ride one of these days!]
[I think i'll pass, The blackbird is enough for me, and if Forge finishes plans for these "X Wings" of his, Then I then maybe i'll race you.] Jean said with a smile
[So, where'd ya find another psi on par with you and Emma?] Maddie asked quickly, [And aren't you going in to introduce me, or are ya too embarrassed of your tom-boy twin?]
[Of course I'm no embarrassed, but you will be in a minute.] Jean replied Liz quirked an eyebrow at the psychic pilot, [Ye ever hear of 'shielding' yer conversation, luv? I be Liz Phillips...]
Jean smiled an pointed a finger at Maddie. [Told you so!]
Maddie brushed her dark auburn hair out of her eyes and flushed a bit, looking down at her fatigues with captain's bars, [I'm Maddie Grey.... Nice to meetcha!]
[Now that you've all met, Lets talk. If you'll just open you minds i'll open my telepathic office and explain everything.] A floating head beside the three ladies said, It was the face of Charles Xavier.